Ravens hope win over Browns provides spark for playoff pushVideo
An emotional, uplifting victory on the road against a division rival strongly enhanced the Baltimore Ravens’ chances of reaching the playoffs and provided a positive vibe during a season marred by injuries, a three-game skid and an outbreak of covid-19. Now, with a soft schedule in front of them, the...
Browns learn tough lesson in gut-wrenching loss to RavensVideo
CLEVELAND — On their way to likely ending the NFL’s current longest playoff drought, the Browns are learning lessons every week. Some of them are tougher than others. Monday’s was: don’t shrink. While showing resilience, toughness, grit and all the other coaching cliches against Baltimore in a 47-42 loss that...
Ravens’ J.K. Dobbins deletes tweet after Browns’ Andrew Sendejo hurtVideo
CLEVELAND — The hard hitting between the Ravens and Browns in Monday night’s thrilling game carried into Tuesday. Cleveland safety Andrew Sendejo suffered a concussion late in the fourth quarter after a collision at the goal line with Ravens rookie running back J.K. Dobbins, who gloated about the violent play...
SpongeBob, slime, football: Nickelodeon ready for NFL game
Get ready for SpongeBob SquarePants running out of the tunnel, players being covered with digital slime after touchdowns and commentary from the cast of “All That” when Nickelodeon airs an NFL playoff game. CBS Sports and Nickelodeon revealed their plans on Tuesday for the kid-focused channel’s broadcast of a wild-card...
Lamar Jackson returns to save Ravens with 47-42 win over BrownsVideo
CLEVELAND — Lamar Jackson emerged from the locker room, saved the game and maybe Baltimore’s season. Back on the field after being sidelined by cramps, Jackson threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to Marquise Brown and then set up Justin Tucker’s 55-yard field goal with two seconds left, helping the Ravens...
Chiefs keep winning despite letting big leads slip away
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It is perhaps a strange argument to make that the Kansas City Chiefs have a problem with complacency. This is a team that returned largely intact from the one that ended a five-decade championship drought in dramatic fashion last season, rallying to beat the San Francisco...
Resurgent Bills close in on 1st AFC East title since 1995 after beating SteelersVideo
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Brandon Beane easily could have stayed in Carolina, where he spent 19 years working his way up the Panthers front-office ranks, if only because it felt comfortable and safe. Instead, he took the riskier option by gambling on himself in May 2017 and placing faith in...
Bengals running out of chances to pick up 3rd win of 2020Video
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Possibly the best opportunity left for the Cincinnati Bengals to win another game this season came and went last Sunday. The Dallas Cowboys came into Paul Brown Stadium at 3-9. Andy Dalton, a quarterback who was cast aside by the Bengals, was starting in place of the...
Jalen Hurts to start again for Eagles on Sunday at Arizona
PHILADELPHIA — Jalen Hurts earned another start. The rookie quarterback will be behind center when the Philadelphia Eagles (4-8-1) visit the Arizona Cardinals (6-6) on Sunday. Hurts led the Eagles to a 24-21 upset over the New Orleans Saints (10-3) in his first career start after replacing Carson Wentz. “Jalen...
Patriots’ NFL-record division title streak will end at 11
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — For just the fourth time since Bill Belichick became Patriots coach in 2000, New England won’t end the season as AFC East champions. The Buffalo Bills improved to 10-3 and 7-2 in the division with their 26-15 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night. It eliminated...
Raiders fire defensive coordinator Paul Guenther
The Las Vegas Raiders fired defensive coordinator Paul Guenther after he failed to make any significant improvement for the unit in nearly three full seasons on the job. The Raiders (7-6) announced the decision Sunday following a 44-27 loss to the Indianapolis Colts that dealt a severe blow to their...
NFL Week 14 roundup: Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs clinch AFC West with win over DolphinsVideo
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs overcame a 30-yard sack, four turnovers and a 10-point deficit Sunday to clinch their fifth consecutive AFC West title by beating Miami 33-27 on Sunday. Mahomes was picked off three times, his first multi-interception game in more than two...
Browns get second crack at Ravens with playoff hopes high
CLEVELAND — Browns coach Kevin Stefanski doesn’t have many warm and fuzzy memories of Cleveland’s opener at Baltimore, other than it being his debut, of course. It was a miserable, forgettable afternoon. A beatdown. “We didn’t go back and watch that game,” Stefanski said this week. Stefanski’s decision to fake...
Andy Dalton returns to Cincy, leads Cowboys over Bengals
CINCINNATI — Dallas Cowboys quarterback Andy Dalton put an exclamation point on his return to Cincinnati with a short touchdown pass late in the game to pile some more points on top of the woeful Bengals. Dalton wanted this win badly. He was the starting quarterback for the Bengals for...
NFL inactives: Colts have left tackle Castonzo, LB Okereke vs. Raiders
Indianapolis left tackle Anthony Castonzo and starting linebacker Bobby Okereke are both active for the Colts’ visit to the Las Vegas Raiders. Josh Jacobs had a social media post caught by a screen grab where the running back said he wasn’t playing despite being active and warming up before the...
With playoffs unlikely, fading Patriots have questions at QBVideo
For the first time in more than a decade, the New England Patriots will head into their final three games of the season with an unsettled playoff fate. The Patriots entered the week in 10th place in the AFC and trudging through one of their worst years of Bill Belichick’s...
Falcons WR Julio Jones out against Chargers with hamstring injuryVideo
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Atlanta Falcons receiver Julio Jones will miss his fourth game of the season because of a lingering hamstring injury. The team ruled out Jones for Sunday’s game in Los Angeles against the Chargers after he was held out of practice all week. Two other starters —...
Steelers, Chiefs top AFC, but plenty of others could contend
Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are already in. No surprise for the defending Super Bowl champions. Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers are undefeated no more, but they’re also on the verge of clinching an AFC playoff spot. After that, well, there are plenty of other contenders who...
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett wins team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year award
When NFL teams announced their 2020 Walter Payton Man of the Year award winners Thursdays, the Cleveland Browns made an interesting choice: defensive end Myles Garrett. The award recognizes players for “their performance on the field and their dedication to the community.” On the field, Garrett is one of the...
Browns step from shadows into spotlight during playoff pushVideo
CLEVELAND — The Browns quickly have stepped out of the shadows and into the spotlight. This time, they’ll try not to let it melt them. Fresh off an impressive road win at Tennessee last week, Cleveland’s Dec. 20 matchup against the New York Giants was moved Wednesday by the NFL...
Finally healthy and running hot, Ravens seek strong finish
BALTIMORE — The sight of Lamar Jackson racing toward the end zone on a 37-yard, fourth-down trek showed just how effective the Baltimore Ravens’ offense can be when their quarterback is the centerpiece of a multi-faceted running attack. Jackson faked a handoff, broke slightly to his right and zipped through...
Former Alabama, N.Y. Giants coach Ray Perkins dies at 79
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Ray Perkins, who replaced Hall of Famer Bear Bryant as Alabama’s football coach and started the transition with the New York Giants that led to two Super Bowl titles, died Wednesday in Tuscaloosa. He was 79. The school announced his passing on Wednesday, and daughter Rachael Perkins...
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes’ arm angles causing defenses fits
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Patrick Mahomes grew up in baseball parks, tagging along with his big leaguer father and spending plenty of time on the diamond himself, often goofing around by slinging the ball sidearm and sinker-style along with traditional pitching. Who knew those summer afternoons would serve him so...
NFL: All proper procedures followed with Dez Bryant
The NFL’s medical director says all procedures followed before the Baltimore Ravens’ game Tuesday night when receiver Dez Bryant tested positive for covid-19 were done properly and in the same manner as for every case. Bryant had an inconclusive test result after he was active for the game. He was...
Lamar Jackson, Ravens run past Cowboys to end 3-game slide
BALTIMORE — Back in action after a 15-day layoff, Lamar Jackson directed a relentless rushing attack that the Baltimore Ravens hope will be the first big step in a run to the playoffs. Jackson ran for 94 yards and a touchdown, and the Ravens returned from a covid-19 outbreak to...
